James Bond
Royal Navy Commander '''James Bond', CMG, RNVR, is a fictional character created by British journalist and novelist Ian Fleming in 1953. He is the main protagonist of the James Bond series of novels, films, comics and video games. The Bond character is a Secret Service agent, code number 007, residing in London but active internationally. Bond was a composite character who was based on a number of commandos who Fleming knew during his service in the Naval Intelligence Division during World War II, to whom Fleming added his own style and a number of his own tastes. The character of James Bond first appeared in the 1953 Ian Fleming novel Casino Royale, and appeared in the thirteen subsequent novels, as well as short stories by Fleming and other writers. He first appeared on the silver screen in the 1962 film Dr. No, portrayed by Sean Connery. He has since been portrayed by George Lazenby, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan, and is currently helmed by Daniel Craig. He also appears in many video games and other branches of the James Bond franchise. There have also been legal disputes regarding Ian Fleming's works, so some non-EON versions of James Bond exist. Shared background In the novels, James' parents (Andrew Bond of Scotland and Monique Delacroix-Bond of Switzerland) were tragically killed during a climbing accident in the French Alps when he was eleven. He had acquired a first-class command of the French and German languages during his early education, which he received entirely abroad. After the death of his parents, Bond goes to live with his aunt, Miss Charmian Bond, where he completes his early education. Later, he briefly attends Eton College at "12 or thereabouts", but is removed after two halves because of girl trouble with a maid. After being sent down from Eton, Bond was sent to Fettes College in Scotland, his father's school. After leaving Fettes, the EON films note that Bond studied at Cambridge University. There, he achieved a first in Oriental languages. In Fleming's novels, Bond alluded to briefly attending the University of Geneva (as did Fleming), before being taught to ski in Kitzbühel. Following his graduation, Bond joined the Ministry of Defence and became a lieutenant in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserves, rising though the ranks to commander. Bond applied to M for a position within the "Secret Service", part of the Civil Service, and rose to the rank of principal officer. Shared characteristics Personal tastes Bond has a number of character traits which run throughout the books and movies, including an enjoyment of cars, women, gambling, food and drink. In the novels, Bond is portrayed as a heavy drinker and smoker, largely mirroring Fleming's own personal tastes. Although the franchise initially continued in this vein, over the course of the franchise's history these habits have been gradually toned down to better reflect contemporary attitudes. Bond's drink of choice is the iconic vodka martini, prepared shaken rather than stirred. Bond, James Bond. In 1962, the EON film franchise introduced the iconic James Bond introduction, which has remained a staple of the series. The first instance of the "Bond, James Bond." catchphrase was during the Chemin de Fer scene in Dr. No and has appeared in every film to date. Age Because the James Bond Film Franchise has lasted nearly sixty years, the characters do not age in relation to release of the first film. Rather, Bond is always mid-aged. Likewise, in Ian Fleming's stories, James Bond is in his mid-to-late thirties. Firearms & Gadgets :Main article: List of firearms, Gadgets In the Fleming novels prior to Dr. No, Bond's firearm of choice had been the Beretta 418. However, following suggestions from firearms collector Geoffrey Boothroyd, from Dr. No on-wards Bond was equipped instead with the Walther PPK. Aside from this weapon, 007 also carried a revolver for long-range shooting and made use of weapons as an when he obtained them. From his first EON film appearance in 1962 through to 1997 Bond's primary firearm was the Walther PPK. Similar to his novel counterpart, M notes that Bond's Beretta almost cost the secret agent his life and insists that he replace it with the Walther PPK. Following 1997 the character was armed instead with the modern Walther P99 until Quantum of Solace, where the character was equipped once more with the PPK. Relationships :Main article: Bond girl Bond has had many romantic encounters with women, although most have been short-lived. He was married only once, in On Her Majesty's Secret Service, to Teresa "Tracy" di Vicenzo, but their marriage was short-lived as she was tragically murdered on their wedding day by Ernst Stavro Blofeld. Tracy's death would be a reoccurring theme over the course of the EON films, explicitly referenced in For Your Eyes Only and Licence to Kill. Literary_Link.png|Literary|link=James Bond (Literary) James Bond (Dr. No).jpg|Sean Connery|link=James Bond (Sean Connery) James Bond (On Her Majesty's Secret Service).jpg|George Lazenby|link=James Bond (George Lazenby) James Bond (Live and Let Die).jpg|Roger Moore|link=James Bond (Roger Moore) James Bond (The Living Daylights).jpg|Timothy Dalton|link=James Bond (Timothy Dalton) James Bond (GoldenEye).jpg|Pierce Brosnan|link=James Bond (Pierce Brosnan) James Bond (Casino Royale).jpg|Daniel Craig|link=James Bond (Daniel Craig) Generic Bond_Game.png|Others|link=James Bond (Others) References Category:James Bond characters Category:00 Agents Category:James Bonds